Protector
by kolette92
Summary: Lips been talking for Ian for longer than any of the Gallagher clan could remember.


MONICA

Monica was feeding three year old Ian animal crackers and watching tv, Ian was fussing and kept throwing his crackers on the ground. Monica was about to pull her hair out when she saw Lip running in from the kitchen glaring at her holding a cut up banana.

"No no no he wants this, why don't you know this?" Lip said sighing exasperated with his mother. Lip handed the bowl of bananas to Ian, Ian looked at Lip expectantly when Lip ruffled his hair and said, "There you go, E, eat up." Ian smiled at his big brother and munched away happily watching the tv.

Monica followed Lip in to the kitchen, "how'd you know that? That he wanted bananas?" She asked. Lip looked up at her with sad eyes, "because I know what Ian likes and you should too," He then walked away and started to make his way up the steps.

FIONA

Fiona sat across the table from 13 year old Ian, "Ian I'm going to ask one last time why'd you punch that boy?" Ian just stared at the table wringing his hands which was a bad habit of his recently. "Really? Nothing?" She asked.

Lip walked in back door and stared between his two siblings. "What's going on here?" he asked.

"Ian here thought it would be a good idea to give one of the kids at school a broken nose I'm trying to figure out why." Lip sat down next to Ian across from Fiona, "I'm sure Ian had his reasons, Fi,"

"Yes, I'm sure he did which is what I'm trying to get to bottom of." Ian was still wringing his hands furiously when Lip reached his hand over and laid it on top of Ian's hands, "Cool it, E. Why don't you go on upstairs while I talk to Fiona?" Ian looked up at Lip who nodded, "it's ok go on up I will be up in a few." Ian pushed away from the table and ran up the stairs.

Fiona stated at lip, "Seriously, Lip, what the hell?"

Lip shrugged, "What?"

"I was talking to Ian I almost cracked him and you come in and just tell him it's ok to leave?"

Lip laughed loudly, "Do you even know Ian? You definitely weren't cracking him. You noticed him wringing his hands together to the point they were red?"

"Well, yeah, what does that have to do anything?" Fiona asked confused. Lip glanced up towards the stairs and lowered his voice.

"You were scaring the shit out of him,"

Fiona went wide eyed, "What?! I was just asking him what went down, he got suspended from school, Lip you know that's like a red flag to DFS,"

"I know but next time maybe just wait for me so we can talk to him together. He used to wring his hands like that when Frank or Monica interrogated him."

"fuck," Fiona sighed out.

"yeah, anyways I have it on good authority, the nose Ian broke was the kid who's been picking on him all year, the reason he keeps coming home with black eyes,"

"Well then fucking good for him, Gallaghers aren't pushover."

Lip smiled.

"But Lip?"

"Ya?"

"he's going to have to start speaking for himself no more of this you talking for him bullshit, it's too comfortable for him, he knows he doesn't have to talk because you do for him, has always been that way."

"it's worked for past 13 years what's so bad about it?"

"you aren't always going to be around and he's going to end up in some deep shit if he's one of those quiet kids who just take the bullshit handed his way ."

Lip sighed knowing there was some truth to what Fiona was saying, "I'll work on it,"

"Deal. But you go on upstairs and reassure that kid that he's not in trouble before he permanently screws with his hands." Lip smiled, nodded at Fiona and ran up the stairs.

FRANK

10 year old Ian was being shoved against the wall by his father, "I know you took it you little bastard, where.is it?!"

Ians eyes were shining bright with tears, "you going to cry you sissy? Just answer the question and I will go away" Frank slammed him in to the wall hard again as Lip came in backdoor.

Lip ran up to the two of them and pushed Frank away from Ian, "what the fuck Frank?!"

"this useless kid stole my drugs and he won't fess up to where he put it."

Lip scoffed, "Ian steal your drugs? He won't even steal a chocolate bar."

"I asked your brother lip not you." He shoved himself out of lips hold to push Ian again.

"yeah? Well I'm his counsel you're not to question him without me present." Putting himself between Frank and ian.

"his what?!" Frank asked looking between Ian and lip. He put his hands up in the air and headed to the door, "fine but remember Ian lips not always going to be around so return my drugs peacefully and this won't happen again. Frank walked out of house and lip turned to Ian and ian shook his head,

"I didn't steal anything lip I swear!"

"I know Ian it's ok Frank's just a little on edge because of all the drugs in his system it will wear off and he will remember Monica's the one that stole the drugs or he left them somewhere." Lip threw an arm over Ian's shoulder and guided him up the stairs. He sighed thinking of how much better him and siblings would be when Frank inevitably stopped coming home.


End file.
